.......,~/                                          /~,.......
........,~                                          ~,........
.......,~/                                          /~,.......
......,~/*                                          */~,......
.....,~/**                                          **/~,.....
....,~/**&          . .. ... ~~#~~ ... .. .         &**/~,....
...,~/**&#      .  .~~~    ~ ~#~ ~    ~~~.  .       #&**/~,...
..,~/**&#@         . .. ... ~~#~~ ... .. .          @#&**/~,..
.,~/**&#@#                                          #@#&**/~,.
..,~/**&#@  A SECRET ROUNDABOUT: IN WHAT USED TO BE @#&**/~,..
...,~/**&#  BRAZIL OR CHINA. FENCED IN, SECLUDED BY #&**/~,...
....,~/**&  SPECIAL PLANTS GROWING UNUSUALLY TALL.  &**/~,....
.....,~/**    SPELLED IN BY PURPOSEFUL SYMMETRY,    **/~,.....
......,~/*     ROADS LIKE SYMBOLS, ALIGNED WITH     */~,......
.......,~/  LEY LINES. DIALED IN WITH WELL-ROUNDED  /~,.......
........,~             GPS COORDINATES.             ~,........
.......,~/                                          /~,.......
......,~/*              ... , / , ...               */~,......
.....,~/**                                          **/~,.....
....,~/**&    A DANGEROUS GAME: THE ROUNDABOUT IS   &**/~,....
...,~/**&#  IMPORTANT TO SOME LARGE CONSTELLATION   #&**/~,...
..,~/**&#@       OF INTENTS AND BUREAUCRACIES.      @#&**/~,..
.,~/**&#@# GOVERNMENTS AND COMPANIES ARE CREATURES  #@#&**/~,.
..,~/**&#@     IN A WAY. YET PEOPLE SNEAK SMALL     @#&**/~,..
...,~/**&#   BETWEEN THEIR CLAWS, AND HIDE IN THE   #&**/~,...
....,~/**&    ROADSIDE BUSHES. THEY WAIT THERE.     &**/~,....
.....,~/**                                          **/~,.....
......,~/*   VEHICLES APPROACH; THE GAME IS ON -    */~,......
.......,~/    QUICKLY THE PEOPLE ASSEMBLE IN WELL   /~,.......
........,~ PRACTICED GEOMETRIES. THEIR BODIES MAKE  ~,........
.......,~/  COUNTER-SPELLS ON THE ASPHALT. TRAFFIC  /~,.......
......,~/*   IS INSTANTLY DIVERTED, FLOWS IN SICK   */~,......
.....,~/**  WAYS, LIKE DOGS LET LOOSE. SYMMETRY IS  **/~,.....
....,~/**&                   LOST.                  &**/~,....
...,~/**&#                                          #&**/~,...
..,~/**&#@  CARS ARE EJECTED INTO THE GREENS. SHIPS @#&**/~,..
.,~/**&#@#     COLLIDE. THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF     #@#&**/~,.
..,~/**&#@      CASUALTIES, ON BOTH SIDES. THE      @#&**/~,..
...,~/**&#    SPELLMAKERS WILL NOT COME HOME. IT    #&**/~,...
....,~/**&   SICKENS ME, THIS PHYSICAL REALITY OF   &**/~,....
.....,~/** IT, BUT THE CAUSE IS JUST. I SNEAK BACK  **/~,.....
......,~/*      OVER THE FENSE, HEADING SOUTH.      */~,......
.......,~/                                          /~,.......
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.......,~/                                          /~,.......
......,~/*                                          */~,......
.....,~/**                                          **/~,.....